Gas cooker

ABSTRACT

A gas cooker is provided. First and second front burners are disposed on the left and the right of a front upper surface of a top plate at an interval in a row. Lower ignition parts of the first and second front burners are disposed at a distance from an imaginary straight line passing through central points of the first and second front burners in parallel with the front end of the top plate, toward a front end of the top plate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0033884 (filed onApr. 17, 2009), which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a cooker, and more particularly, to agas cooker heating items to be cooked using gas.

A cooker refers to an electronic home appliance that heats items to becooked (hereinafter, referred to as “foods”) using gas or electricity.Especially, some cookers such as a gas range and a gas oven are equippedwith a plurality of top burners. The top burner heats foods directly bya flame generated by burning gas. A plurality of the top burners isarranged at intervals on an upper surface of a top plate which forms anupper surface of the gas range or the gas oven.

SUMMARY

Embodiments provide a gas cooker improved in safety during use.

In one embodiment, a gas cooker includes: a top plate; first and secondfront burners arranged at an interval in a row on the left and the rightof a front upper surface of the top plate, each comprising a lowerignition part for mounting of a spark plug; and at least one rear burnerdisposed at a rear upper surface of the top plate. The lower ignitionpart of the first front burner may be disposed nearer to a front end ofthe top plate than an imaginary straight line passing through a centralpoint of the first front burner in parallel with the front end of thetop plate is, and the lower ignition part of the second front burner maybe disposed nearer to the front end of the top plate than an imaginarystraight line passing through a central point of the second front burnerin parallel with the front end of the top plate is.

In another embodiment, a gas cooker includes: a top plate; first andsecond front burners arranged in a row on left and right ends of a frontupper surface of the top plate, each comprising a lower ignition partfor mounting of a spark plug; and at least one rear burner disposed at arear upper surface of the top plate. An imaginary straight lineextending from a central point of the first front burner to a center ofthe lower ignition part of the first front burner and an imaginarystraight line passing through the central point of the first frontburner in parallel with a front end of the top plate may be inclined toeach other by a predetermined angle, and an imaginary straight lineextending from a central point of the second front burner to a center ofthe lower ignition part of the second front burner and an imaginarystraight line passing through the central point of the second frontburner in parallel with the front end of the top plate may be inclinedto each other by a predetermined angle

In another embodiment, a gas cooker includes a top plate; a first frontburner disposed at a left end of a front upper surface of the top plateand provided with a plurality of flame holes arranged along acircumference thereof; a second front burner disposed at a right end ofthe front upper surface of the top plate, forming a row with the firstfront burner, and provided with a plurality of flame holes arrangedalong a circumference thereof; and at least one rear burner disposed ata rear upper surface of the top plate and provided with a plurality offlame holes arranged along a circumference thereof. The flame holes ofthe first and second front burners may be arranged along thecircumferences of the first and second front burners except parts of thecircumferences within an area defined by the straight line passingthrough a central point of the first front burner perpendicularly to afront end of the top plate, the straight line passing through a centralpoint of the second front burner perpendicularly to the front end of thetop plate, an imaginary straight line passing through the centralpoints, and the front end of the top plate.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanyingdrawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent fromthe description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gas cooker according to a firstembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing main parts of the gas cooker according tothe first embodiment.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are operation state views illustrating processes of asafety test for the gas cooker according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing main parts of a gas cooker according to asecond embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing main parts of a gas cooker according to athird embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a gas cooker according to a first embodiment will beexplained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gas cooker according to a firstembodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing main parts of the gas cookeraccording to the first embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, the gas cooker 10 includes a main body 100 formingan appearance thereof. The main body 100 includes a top burner unit 200,an oven unit 300, a warming drawer 400, a back guard 500, a controlpanel 600 and a top burner control unit 700.

The top burner unit 200 and the oven unit 300 cook foods therein. Thewarming drawer 400 heats a container holding the foods.

The control panel 600 is input with an operation signal for operation ofthe gas cooker 10 and displays various information related to theoperation of the gas cooker 10 to the outside. The top burner controlunit 700 opens and closes a valve which supplies gas to the top burnerunit 200. The back guard 500 guides combustion gas generated duringcooking of the foods in the oven unit 300.

More specifically, the top burner unit 200 is disposed at an upper endof the main body 100. The top burner unit 200 includes a plurality oftop burners 220 burning gas and thereby heating a container holding thefoods. The top burner 220 will be described in greater detailhereinafter.

Additionally, the top burner unit 200 is provided with a plurality ofgrates 270. The container to be heated by the top burner 220 is seatedon the grate 270.

The oven unit 300 is disposed in the middle part of the main body 100,that is, under the top burner unit 200. A cooking chamber (not shown) isprovided inside the oven unit 300. The foods are cooked by a heater (notshown) in the cooking chamber. The cooking chamber is selectively openedand closed by a door 310. The door 310 pivots up and down by its upperedge about its lower edge with respect to the main body 100, therebyopening and closing the cooking chamber. A door handle 320 is disposedon an upper front part of the door 310 for a user to grip when openingand closing the door 310.

The warming drawer 400 is disposed under the oven unit 300, that is, ata lower part of the main body 100. The warming drawer 400 is mounted tomove in and out of the main body 100 in a drawer manner. The containerholding the foods is received in the warming drawer 400 and heated bythe heater of the cooking chamber or a separate heater for warming. Thewarming drawer 400 includes a drawer handle 410 disposed on an upperfront part thereof for a user to grip to move the warming drawer 400 inand out.

The back guard 500 is disposed at an upper rear end of the main body100, that is, a rear part of the top burner unit 200, extending upwardfrom the upper surface of the main body 100. The back guard 500 includesa path formed therein in communication with the cooking chamber.Accordingly, combustion gas generated in the oven unit 300 while thefoods is cooked in the cooking chamber flows through the path and isdischarged out of the cooking chamber.

The control panel 600 is disposed on a front surface of the back guard500. The control panel 600 includes an input part receiving variousoperation signals for actual operations of the oven unit 300 and thewarming drawer 400 and a display part displaying various informationrelated to the operations of the oven unit 300 and the warming drawer400.

The top burner control unit 700 includes a plurality of operation knobs710 provided corresponding to the top burners 220 in number. Theoperation knobs 710 selectively open and close valves that supply gas tothe respective top burners 220.

The top plate 210 forms an upper appearance of the top burner unit 200.The top plate 210 includes burner mounting parts 211 to which the topburners 220 are mounted. The burner mounting parts 211 protrudes upwardso that parts of the top plate 210 have substantially circularcross-sections. Therefore, upper surfaces of the burner mounting parts211 are disposed relatively higher than an upper surface of the topplate 210.

The top burners 220 may include top burners 220, 230, 240, 250, and 260arranged on the upper surface of the top plate 210 in at least two rows,for example, front and rear rows. More specifically, the top burners220, 230, 240, 250, and 260 may be a first front burner 220, a secondfront burner 230, a first rear burner 240, a second rear burner 250, anda central burner 260. The first and second front burners 220 and 230 aredisposed on the left and the right of a front upper surface of the topplate 210. The first and the second rear burners 250 and 250 aredisposed on the left and the right of a rear upper surface of the topplate 210. The central burner 260 is disposed in the center of the topplate 210, i.e., between the first and second front burners 220 and 230and the first and second rear burners 240 and 250. In the presentembodiment, the central burner 260 has a substantial oval form extendingin a forward and backward direction of the gas cooker 10.

The first and second front burners 220 and 230 respectively includeburner heads 221 and 231 and burner caps 227 and 237. Referring to FIG.2, the first and second front burners 220 and 230 respectively include aplurality of flame holes 223 and 233 arranged along circumferences ofthe burner heads 221 and 231. A gas mixture, that is, a mixture of airand the gas supplied to the first and second front burners 220 and 230is discharged through the flame holes 223 and 233 of the first andsecond front burners 220 and 230. In addition, the burner heads 221 and231 of the first and second front burners 220 and 230 respectivelyinclude lower ignition parts 225 and 235. The lower ignition parts 225and 235 each include a spark plug (not shown) for ignition of the gasmixture discharged from the flame holes 223 and 233 of the first andsecond front burners 220 and 230. The lower ignition parts 225 and 235are each disposed at one side of the circumference of each of the burnerheads 221 and 231. Accordingly, the flame holes 223 and 233 of the firstand second front burners 220 and 230 are not formed at one side of thecircumferences of the burner heads 221 and 231, that is, positionscorresponding to the lower ignition parts 225 and 235 of the first andsecond front burners 220 and 230. The burner caps 227 and 237 of thefirst and second front burners 220 and 230 are seated on upper surfacesof the burner heads 221 and 231.

The first and second rear burners 240 and 250, and the central burner260 also include burner heads 241, 251, and 261 and burner caps 247,257, and 267, respectively. Since the first and second rear burners 240and 250 and the central burner 260 are structured substantially in thesame manner as the first and second front burners 220 and 230, adetailed description about the structure of the rear burners 240 and 250and the central burner 260 will be omitted.

Meanwhile, one of safety tests for gas cookers tests whether a fabric T(FIG. 4) ignites, which is attached to a front side of containers C1 andC2 (See FIGS. 3 and 4) holding foods by the first and second frontburners 220 and 230. According to the present embodiment, positions ofthe lower ignition parts 225 and 235 of the first and second burners 220and 230 are restricted such that ignition of the fabric T used in thesafety test is prevented.

More specifically, the lower ignition part 225 of the first front burner220 is disposed in such a manner that a straight line M1 extending fromthe central point A1 of the first front burner 220 to the lower ignitionpart 225 of the first front burner 220 is inclined forward by apredetermined angle, exemplarily by less than about 10°, with respect toan imaginary straight line L1 passing through the central point A1 ofthe first front burner 220 in parallel with a front end of the top plate210. Also, the lower ignition part 235 of the second front burner 230 isdisposed in such a manner that a straight line M2 extending from acentral point A2 of the second front burner 230 to the lower ignitionpart 235 of the second front burner 230 is inclined forward by apredetermined angle, exemplarily, by less than about 10°, with respectto an imaginary straight line L2 passing through the central point A2 ofthe second front burner 230 in parallel with the front end of the topplate 210. Here, the lower ignition parts 225 and 235 are disposedsubstantially in an area between straight lines N1 and N2 thatrespectively pass through the central points A1 and A2 of the first andsecond front burners 220 and 230 in a perpendicular direction to thefront end of the top plate 210.

The straight line M1 extending from the central line A1 to the lowerignition part 225 and the straight line M2 extending from the centralpoint A2 to the lower ignition part 235 intersect in a space between thefirst and second front burners 220 and 230. In other words, anintersection point Q of the straight lines M1 and M2 is disposed in thespace between the first and second front burners 220 and 230.

Hereinafter, the operation of the gas cooker according to the firstembodiment will be described in further detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are operation state views illustrating processes of thesafety test for the gas cooker according to the first embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3, first, the containers C1 and C2 holding water areseated on the grates 270 adjacent to the first and second front burners220 and 230, respectively. Here, a predetermined quantity of the wateras required for the safety test, for example, about ¾ of the containersC1 and C2, may be put in the containers C1 and C2.

Referring to FIG. 4, next, the fabric T is disposed between the firstand second front burners 220 and 230 in close contact with the frontsurfaces of the containers C1 and C2. In this state, the operation knob710 is operated so that the containers C1 and C2 are heated by the firstand second front burners 220 and 230. More specifically, the gas mixtureis supplied to the first and second front burners 220 and 230 and thespark plugs to ignite the gas mixture are operated by the operation ofthe operation knob 710. Next, it is observed for a predetermined timerequired by the safety test, for example 30 seconds, whether the fabricT is ignited by flames from the first and second front burners 220 and230.

As described above, the lower ignition parts 225 and 235 of the firstand second front burners 220 and 230 are disposed where ignition of thegas mixture is not actually performed such that ignition of the fabric Tis prevented. As a result, ignition of the fabric T does not occur forthe predetermined time while the containers C1 and C2 are being heatedby the first and second front burners 220 and 230.

Hereinafter, a gas cooker according a second embodiment will bedescribed in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing main parts of the gas cooker according tothe second embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5, the lower ignition part 225 of the first frontburner 220 is disposed in such a manner that the straight line M1extending from the central point A1 of the first front burner 220 to thelower ignition part 225 of the first front burner 220 is inclined byabout 3° 30′ or less clockwise with respect to the imaginary straightline L1 passing through the central point A1 of the first front burner220 in parallel with the front end of the top plate 210. Also, the lowerignition part 235 of the second front burner 230 is disposed in such amanner that the straight line M2 extending from the central point A2 ofthe second front burner 230 to the lower ignition part 235 of the secondfront burner 230 is inclined by about 7° 30′ or less counterclockwisewith respect to the imaginary straight line L2 passing through thecentral point A2 of the second front burner 230 in parallel with thefront end of the top plate 210. Here, the straight line M1 extendingfrom the central line A1 to the lower ignition part 225 and the straightline M2 extending from the central point A2 to the lower ignition part235 intersect in the space between the first and second front burners220 and 230.

According to the present embodiment, differently from in the firstembodiment, the straight lines M1 and M2 are inclined by differentangles with respect to the straight lines passing through the centralpoints A1 and A2 of the first and second front burners 220 and 230. Thisis because such a configuration is experimentally proved to be moreeffective in preventing ignition of the fabric of the safety testregarding the first and second front burners 220 and 230 under the samecondition as described above.

Hereinafter, a gas cooker according a third embodiment will be describedin detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing main parts of the gas cooker according tothe third embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 6, the flame holes 223 and 233 are arranged along thecircumferences of the first and second front burners 220 and 230 but notformed at parts of the circumferences. More specifically, the flameholes 223 and 233 are not formed at the parts within an area defined bythe straight line N1 passing through the central point A1 of the firstfront burner 220 perpendicularly to the front end of the top plate 210,the straight line N2 passing through the central point A2 of the secondfront burner 230 perpendicularly to the front end of the top plate 210,an imaginary straight line N3 passing through the central points A1 andA2, and the front end of the top plate 210. The lower ignition parts 225and 235 for mounting of the spark plugs (not shown) may be mounted atthe parts where the flame holes 223 and 233 are not formed.

The gas cooker according to the above embodiments is capable of securingsafety for a user using a top burner disposed at a front of a top plateof the gas cooker. Consequently, the user may cook foods using the gascooker more safely.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

1. A gas cooker comprising: a top plate; first and second front burnersarranged at an interval in a row on the left and the right of a frontupper surface of the top plate, each comprising a lower ignition partfor mounting of a spark plug; and at least one rear burner disposed at arear upper surface of the top plate, wherein the lower ignition part ofthe first front burner is disposed nearer to a front end of the topplate than an imaginary straight line passing through a central point ofthe first front burner in parallel with the front end of the top plateis, and the lower ignition part of the second front burner is disposednearer to the front end of the top plate than an imaginary straight linepassing through a central point of the second front burner in parallelwith the front end of the top plate is.
 2. The gas cooker according toclaim 1, wherein the lower ignition parts of the first and second frontburners are disposed such that an imaginary straight line extending fromthe central point of the first front burner to a center of the lowerignition part of the first front burner and an imaginary straight lineextending from the central point of the second front burner to a centerof the lower ignition part of the second front burner intersect in aspace between the first and second front burners.
 3. The gas cookeraccording to claim 1, wherein the rear burner includes first and secondrear burners arranged in a row at an interval in a left and rightdirection.
 4. A gas cooker comprising: a top plate; first and secondfront burners arranged in a row on left and right ends of a front uppersurface of the top plate, each comprising a lower ignition part formounting of a spark plug; and at least one rear burner disposed at arear upper surface of the top plate, wherein an imaginary straight lineextending from a central point of the first front burner to a center ofthe lower ignition part of the first front burner and an imaginarystraight line passing through the central point of the first frontburner in parallel with a front end of the top plate are inclined toeach other by a predetermined angle, and an imaginary straight lineextending from a central point of the second front burner to a center ofthe lower ignition part of the second front burner and an imaginarystraight line passing through the central point of the second frontburner in parallel with the front end of the top plate are inclined toeach other by a predetermined angle.
 5. The gas cooker according toclaim 4, wherein the imaginary straight line extending from the centralpoint of the first front burner to the center of the lower ignition partof the first front burner and the imaginary straight line extending fromthe central point of the second front burner to the center of the lowerignition part of the second front burner intersect in a space betweenthe first and second front burners.
 6. The gas cooker according to claim4, wherein an intersection point between the imaginary straight lineextending from the central point of the first front burner to the centerof the lower ignition part of the first front burner and the imaginarystraight line extending from the central point of the second frontburner to the center of the lower ignition part of the second frontburner is disposed nearer to the front end of the top plate than thecentral points of the first and second front burners are.
 7. The gascooker according to claim 4, wherein an angle formed by the imaginarystraight line extending from the central point of the first front burnerto the center of the lower ignition part of the first front burner andthe imaginary straight line passing through the central point of thefirst front burner in parallel with the front end of the top plate isthe same as an angle formed by the imaginary straight line extendingfrom the central point of the second front burner to the center of thelower ignition part of the second front burner and the imaginarystraight line passing through the central point of the second frontburner in parallel with the front end of the top plate.
 8. The gascooker according to claim 4, wherein an angle formed by the imaginarystraight line extending from the central point of the first front burnerto the center of the lower ignition part of the first front burner andthe imaginary straight line passing through the central point of thefirst front burner in parallel with the front end of the top plate, andan angle formed by the imaginary straight line extending from thecentral point of the second front burner to the center of the lowerignition part of the second front burner and the imaginary straight linepassing through the central point of the second front burner in parallelwith the front end of the top plate are both about 10° or less.
 9. Thegas cooker according to claim 4, wherein an angle formed by theimaginary straight line extending from the central point of the firstfront burner to the center of the lower ignition part of the first frontburner and the imaginary straight line passing through the central pointof the first front burner in parallel with the front end of the topplate is different from an angle formed by the imaginary straight lineextending from the central point of the second front burner to thecenter of the lower ignition part of the second front burner and theimaginary straight line passing through the central point of the secondfront burner in parallel with the front end of the top plate.
 10. Thegas cooker according to claim 4, wherein an angle formed by theimaginary straight line extending from the central point of the firstfront burner to the center of the lower ignition part of the first frontburner and the imaginary straight line passing through the central pointof the first front burner in parallel with the front end of the topplate is about 3° 30′ or less, and an angle formed by the imaginarystraight line extending from the central point of the second frontburner to the center of the lower ignition part of the second frontburner and the imaginary straight line passing through the central pointof the second front burner in parallel with the front end of the topplate is about 7° 30′ or less.
 11. A gas cooker comprising: a top plate;a first front burner disposed at a left end of a front upper surface ofthe top plate and provided with a plurality of flame holes arrangedalong a circumference thereof; a second front burner disposed at a rightend of the front upper surface of the top plate, forming a row with thefirst front burner, and provided with a plurality of flame holesarranged along a circumference thereof; and at least one rear burnerdisposed at a rear upper surface of the top plate and provided with aplurality of flame holes arranged along a circumference thereof, whereinthe flame holes of the first and second front burners are arranged alongthe circumferences of the first and second front burners except parts ofthe circumferences within an area defined by the straight line passingthrough a central point of the first front burner perpendicularly to afront end of the top plate, the straight line passing through a centralpoint of the second front burner perpendicularly to the front end of thetop plate, an imaginary straight line passing through the centralpoints, and the front end of the top plate.
 12. The gas cooker accordingto claim 11, wherein a straight line extending from the central point ofthe first front burner to a central point of the part of thecircumference of the first front burner, the part where the flame holeis not formed, is inclined by about 10° clockwise or counterclockwisewith respect to an imaginary straight line passing through the centralpoint of the first front burner in parallel with the front end of thetop plate, and a straight line extending from the central point of thesecond front burner to a central point of the part of the circumferenceof the second front burner, the part where the flame hole is not formed,is inclined by about 10° clockwise or counterclockwise with respect toan imaginary straight line passing through the central point of thesecond front burner in parallel with the front end of the top plate. 13.The gas cooker according to claim 11, wherein a straight line extendingfrom the central point of the first front burner to a central point ofthe part of the circumference of the first front burner, the part wherethe flame hole is not formed, is inclined by about 3° 30′ clockwise orcounterclockwise with respect to an imaginary straight line passingthrough the central point of the first front burner in parallel with thefront end of the top plate, and a straight line extending from thecentral point of the second front burner to a central point of the partof the circumference of the second front burner, the part where theflame hole is not formed, is inclined by about 7° 30′ clockwise orcounterclockwise with respect to an imaginary straight line passingthrough the central point of the second front burner in parallel withthe front end of the top plate.
 14. The gas cooker according to claim11, wherein a spark plug for ignition of a gas mixture dischargedthrough the flame holes of the first and second front burners is mountedat the parts of the circumferences of the first and second frontburners, the parts where the flame holes are not formed.